Vila Nova de Gaia

On the left bank of the Douro River, up the hill, is Vila Nova de Gaia also known as Gaia City, where Port Wine ages in the famous cellars and from where it is shipped to its glorious journey all around the world. From the viewpoint of the Serra do Pilar Monastery, currently turner into barracks and a round shaped church, one gets a wonderful view over the two cities and mainly over the roofs of the already mentioned cellars.

It is the home of sculptors, such as Teixeira Lopes, and of traditional pottery.
As far as gastronomy is concerned, it should be pointed out the delicious ?Broa de Avintes?, made with corn and rye and which pairs beautifully with grilled sardines.
A city in full expansion, decorated with outdoor caf?s, traditional restaurants located on the riverbank with the mythical Rabelo boats decorating, the boats that until 1964 used to transport downstream the casks filled with Port Wine. But Gaia is also kilometres and kilometres of beaches, golf courses, tennis courts; different price range hotels and shopping centres.

Gaia is a toponym of Latin origin and it is said that it is connected to a love legend, where the imprisoned Moorish Gaya would be the main character.
To visit the city is to go to one of its cellars, it is to verify the main value of its existence and discover the king of Ports - the Vintage Port.